The guys helped out.

The guys were out on coal deliveries today and they found someone in a difficult position.  They lost their home ina fire yesterday .  The guys finished up unloading their deliveries and then came back with the truck to help clean up the fire damage. The next couple days we will help with the clean up then we will see what we can do to help to rebuild .  With winter at the door step, this is a difficult time of year for something like this to happen.

They did manage to get coal to 5 more families as well .

 

Amazed

A month ago I was in so much pain I could hardly walk without a knee brace and a walking stick.  It reached the point that I made a Drs appointment and discussed surgery.  

When we got home I went to our local osteopath in Norwood a couple days before the Dr.  I was amazed that by the time I got to the Dr the pain was almost gone.   

I went back for one more treatment before coming to Newfoundland and I am still amazed .

Today we went for a long walk over signal hill to Quidi Vidi Harbor.   The longest that I have been able to walk in years .. and NO pain.

The walk was not the easiest , but praise God I had no issues with it.  Here are a few pictures of our walk.

And we made it .

Who knows guys , If I can keep this up, maybe when I get back I will be joining you on your mountain hikes . 

New shirt

Loose the top hat and this is my favorite travel shirt. It is light weight ,comfortable washes easily, but most of all I am able to bring my grandchildren with me .  One of the best things about this shirt is that it brings joy to every one , like airport security guards, boarder guards and stewardess . It's so hard for them to be grumpy when they are smiling at my shirt. 

 Last night when we arrived in St John's, the baggage was taking a little longer then it should to come off the plane and people were starting to get grumpy, except for those around me. There was the usual; "where did you get that shirt . I want one of my grand children ".  Then it was photo time as one grandma wanted her picture taken with me . 

When I got to Bekahs house , I was excited to see my new shirt had arrived ..  

Let's see if this one attracts as much attention.  I will take it for a test tomorrow night .  I have a gift card from the Keg .. so we are taking Bekah out for her birthday .. 

 

Getting ready for winter.

The last couple weeks since we got back to Canada we have been busy getting our home ready for winter.. replacing windows broken in the ice storm, clearing branches , putting away garden furniture , getting yard work done , and putting some heat wrap in the gutters to stop the ice dams .   We had a chance to see Mom and help her getting settled in her new home, and with that we have started preparing her apartment to list it on Airbnb. 

So with so much done, we are now heading to Newfoundland to see Bekah and family for a week .  The next time we return home, things will be a little less stressful. 

Back on the farm the boys are hard at work , filling bags and delivering coal.  We have been making head way.  We have the coal ready to go for 10 more families , and had just 40 left on the wait list.  Thank you to everyone who has been supporting this need. .. we are making headway.

After a few hard days , the boys got to go to the hot springs to relax then up to the mountains for a bbq . 

 

Birthday Celebrations

 

I wanted to thank everyone that made this birthday so special. So many emails, messages and calls . Then last night we were blessed with over 40 friends who came for chili and a chance to catch up . It was so great to see all of you . 

Good news to our friends in Kyrgyzstan , I received lots of coffee to restock the cafe.  

My actual birthday was on Friday .  Just in time for my birthday a Chinese buffet reopened in Peterborough .. the only open one since the covid shut down. We had a great meal out with Emma Jengish and Aiden. My sister Kim and her husband brought Mom with them .. apart from a haircut, it was her first out of the home.  She did great .. it was so nice to all get together.

Friday the. Coal deliveries were back on as well. That was such a great birthday gift to see people being blessed like this .

Last week I finished rebuilding the green house and was able to get it planted .  

I have a bit more work around the house this week before winter, then Friday Julie and I will be heading out to Newfoundland to visit Bekah and family.    We will be back Dec 1, then we will begin making plans for visiting churches and sponsors over the next couple months before heading back to Kyrgyzstan. If you or your church would like to have us come and share , please let us know . 

Goji Berry honey + + + farm basket , Bidding starts Monday

 

Its that time of year again for the Rotary Christmas Auction. 

  We have gotten some good deals here in the past, but more then that I love to support the Rotary when ever we can.  They have been such an incredible support and blessing to the people of Kyrgyzstan .  They have supported so many wonderful projects like the building of a Baby Clinic, the purchase of beds and equipment for the baby hospital , and new windows for a small village hospital .  Last year they supported the back up water system  on the farm.    This year we were home in time to be able to get involved with the auction in a small way.  We have put together a basket of goodies we brought back with us .  So if you are looking for the Goji berry honey , here is an opportunity to get some at a great price, and know that your funds go to support community, not just here but around the world .    Then take a look around the auction and see what else you might like . 

To bid on this item follow this link

Preparing for winter .. here and there .

We are so happy to be getting the coal deliveries back on track now .   We have been able to do a few bulk deliveries to orphanages and shelters ,  and are working on a rehab centre right now .  

The coal has started to arrive at the farm to be bagged up for deliveries starting on Friday .   We have about 80 families on the wait list.   

Sunday afternoon we were blessed to have a visit from our friend Ed Dickson .  he was passing through and stopped for a short visit  ..  Its always a blessing to spend time with him , it helps to re-focus ourselves . 

 Snow arrived here in Ontario on Sunday as well.  Last spring in the ice storm we had a lot of destruction on our home .  A group of guys came out and helped clear downed trees , and the hole time we were in Kyrgyzstan another friend came regularly and cleaned up branches and took them away .  That just left the green house to rebuild before the snow,  All the windows were broken and it was a real mess.  Saturday I finished installing all new windows and the new door.  

It was nice to get that cleaned up before the snow hit.  Now I can get the salad greens planted , and hopefully will be eating them by the end of the year .  

I just got a request from Vera for some funds for disabled children's day in a few weeks as well as to start preparing for Christmas .  If anyone would like to help with that, I am sure she would be blessed . 

We are her family

Coal was delivered to one of our adopted grandmothers .  The first time we delivered to her she was so very upset that she had to be helped by a foreigner. She felt embarrassed that she was Kyrgyz and that she did not have any Kyrgyz family helping her.  Trying to distract her , I got out my phone and started showing her pictures of my family .. She was suddenly overjoyed when she saw my grand children and that my son in laws are Kyrgyz .  She then started almost giggling and said " You are not a foreigner ,   You are Kyrgyz family coming back to help".  Now here is a funny thing, the one she thought was most Kyrgyz was Benjamin hahah 

 Since then she has adopted us at the farm.  she calls regularly to make sure everyone is ok and she makes bread and treats for the boys if she knows that we are coming through.  For her, we are her family!

With the days getting shorter , the little mountain school house was happy when our guys went up and installed some good lighting in the class rooms.  

"Look at this monster we found in the garden " that was the message that came with this next picture .. I am fairly sure that they are referring to the zucchini, but it is entirely possible that they were talking about Vlad. 

 

Thank you so much for prenatal vitamins. One of our workers  is meeting with women, helping them with encouragement, vitamins and her expertise as a birthing Doula.

We were able to send coal money today , so we will be back at the coal deliveries again soon .  We still have a huge wait list of families and orphanages needing coal so please keep the donations coming.